


However Long it Takes

by Magonia_bird



Category: Red Queen - Victoria Aveyard
Genre: ANGSTTT, Multi, marecal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-05-28 14:17:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15050966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magonia_bird/pseuds/Magonia_bird
Summary: post-war storm fic





	1. pt i

**Author's Note:**

> NEW FANFIC WHO DIS

The grass nuzzles my bare feet as I tread through the field. The tall reeds sway against my hips, brushing the bare edges of skin exposed by the overalls. But I don’t stop. Sunset is only a few minutes away. The camera fits firmly in my grip as I run, the wrist strap hanging uselessly. Gisa huffs beside me, swatting at the flies that hang in thick clouds overhead. I pay them no mind.

The cliff is a marvel, truly a breathtaking sight. But the view is even more so a work of art. Especially come night. Soft shades of orange, pink, red and yellow bloom across the sky. It was if someone had dragged their fingers through an artists palette to create an exquisite blend of colours. Standing on that cliff with the wind whipping at my hair and the sunset out before me, I feel strong yet so small.

Crouching, I angle the camera to the landscape before me. I take a few shots before the sun dips below the cliffs. Gisa sighs dreamily behind me. “I think I’d like to make a dress like a sunset. It would have gold embroidery and the colours could spill into one another. Maybe some clasps made into the silhouette of a sun.” She looks out thoughtfully as she speaks. I smile softly. “That would be beautiful Gee.”

“You’d have to be my model of course,” she grins deviously. I brush her off. 

“Why not have Priya model it for you?” I suggest, eyebrows raised. “You two do spend quite a bit of time together.” I can’t help the smirk that tugs at my lips.

Gisa blushes, the scarlet flush almost matching the red flame of her hair. “Oh shut up.”

My smirk only widens. “Can we go back now?” she whines. “The plane’s leaving soon and I’ll be really mad at you if they leave me behind.”

I roll my eyes. As if they would ever. “Fine,” I huff, playfully annoyed. Skipping around her, I make sure to pluck a purple flower, small enough for who I intended to give it to. Gisa tramples through the tallgrass muttering all the while. She itches at her feet as we reclaim our slippers. Red rashes crawl up her ankles and I wince at the sight. She frowns at me before hitching up her dress and shrieking so loudly the birds in a nearby tree scatter.

“I’m sure that can be fixed,” I say meekly. It was technically my fault for dragging her out here but I was I supposed to know she’d be allergic to something? Gisa only glares daggers at me as she storms past.

“I think I really hate outside,” I hear her mumble. A lie of course. She loved the geysers and cliffs. Combing through the fields for flowers and sketching whatever she did in that notebook of hers. New creations of hers I assumed. Gisa was always pestering me to model for her. Sometimes I obliged her but more than often I would spend my days with the electricons and the rest of my family.

I knew she really wanted to make me a dress for the anniversary of Montfort’s independence day, celebrated in most parts of the country as the day Reds were declared free citizens. We were expected to attend the gathering being held in the People’s Gallery in a few days and Gisa had been fussing about clothes. Even mom was sick of it. Farley looked positively annoyed at the idea of having to wear a dressed up uniform like the one she’d had before. Gisa had promised to make one that was more functional if only to appease her.

Truthfully I didn’t mind going. I hoped one day that Norta would have a day like that of it’s own. My heart squeezed at the thought. For now, this was enough. 

***

The ride back to Ascendant is mostly silent. Gisa folds her hands to keep from picking at her blisters. Bree sniffles from allergies of his own. The nature of this new land was odd to us, even our bodies couldn’t fully understand it. 

Or maybe this was always a part of us and it was drawn out. I’d felt a little sick as well as I adjusted. The rest of my family had been here longer and were better off than me. Food tasted strange in my mouth and the wind felt different. It didn’t carry smoke with it. Instead it was clean, fresh. Bright with the promise of a new beginning. And the prospect no longer frightens me.

***

We touch down smoothly, leaving the stars in our wake. Davidson’s house glows warmly from the light of hundreds of seemingly floating candles. Carmadon waits outside to greet us, cutting an impressive figure in white silk. Upon closer inspection I realize they’re pajamas and I snicker to myself. He smiles when we near, eyes oddly bright for such a late hour.

“The Barrows have so graciously decided to return,” he says with a dramatic sweep of his hands. His demeanor shifts, though there’s still a twinkle in his gaze. “We are glad to have you back but I’m afraid we have matters to discuss.” We all stiffen. Mom’s hand comes to rest on my shoulder, holding tight. As if she could keep me there. But I knew if it was something to do with the Lakelanders, I would go willingly. They wouldn’t stop me but I hated watching their faces as I left every time.

Or it could be something in Norta with Cal. I bite my lip, chewing on it at the thought. It had been nearly a year since I’d seen him. I tighten my grip on the sheaf of polaroids in my grip. We traded letters and I often attached a photo with it. He would too. My favourite had been the full demolishing of the tech towns directed by Cameron. Or Julian passed out in a chair. It was a fair tie.

“I won’t keep her long,” Carmadon adds, if only to reassure my family. It doesn’t work. 

“Where’s Davidson?” Tramy asks, yawning. His arms stretch with the motion. Carrmadon begins to walk and we follow him inside. Oddly enough there’s a smirk on his lips. “Trying to put Blue to sleep.”

Bree laughs. “Well godspeed to him then.”

Carmadon grins.”He voted for tails and lost which I’m still very much grateful for.”

Knowing the little girl, she was probably bouncing off the walls at the very moment. Blue was restless, an odd contrast to her stoic older brother. I felt a burst of pity for Davidson as I imagined him trying to get her to settle down.

Strangely enough little Clara is up. Though she’s not so little anymore. She grows bigger by leaps and bounds with each passing day. I expect her to be sleepy but instead she’s wide awake. Clara toddles over to us, Farley lingering behind her. Dark circles ring her eyes but she smiles still. She envelopes me in a hug and I accept it with a grin. When she pulls back, Farley looks to the rest of my family. Gisa jumps up to her first and Farley laughs, though the sound is heavy. I know the feeling.

“How was Paradise Valley?” she asks Mom. She smiles tiredly, hands smoothing over her greying hair. “Wonderful of course. I had no less in mind.”

Clara brushes up against my legs and I grin down at her. Her bright honey eyes gaze up at me expectantly. I sigh and heave her up against my hip. Wisps of blonde hair tickle my nose and I wrinkle it, resisting the urge to sneeze. She grabs at the purple ends of my hair, fisting them in her hands. I pluck the flower from behind my ear and tuck it behind her own, gently bouncing her up and down. Clara giggles delightedly and the sound draws her mother’s attention to us.

“Alright, I only let you stay up to welcome them back. It’s time for bed now, love,” Farley says sternly, lifting Clara out of my arms. She wriggles around doing her best to escape but her mother holds on tightly. At least she doesn’t cry. I couldn’t handle tears.

Stifling a yawn of my own, I watch as Farley slips through the door adjoining to the room that she and Clara shared. A warm gnarled hand comes to rest upon my shoulder. 

“We’re heading to bed now, try to make your business quick for your mother’s sake,” Dad whispers low enough for only me to hear. He was the only one who understood. I clasp his hand with my own.

“I will,” I promise. I could only hope it would be so but I don’t tell him that. “It’s probably nothing anyway.” His hand tightens on mine, sensing the lie as well as I do. He untangles his grip. “I hope so,” he sighs. Bree takes his side as they shuffle out. Tramy tosses a look back at me and I shake my head in reassurance. 

There had been few Raider attacks as of late, and Piedmont had been quiet. Their stance was an unclear concerning their alliance with Iris and her mother. They’d worked together to deliver Maven in exchange for Salin Iral and Volo Samos. But there was still the question of a true alliance as they hadn’t declared for the Lakelands. I suppose I was soon to find out.

Farley softly shuts the door behind her as she exits. I would’ve expected it to have taken longer for her to get Clara to sleep. She waves me over and I follow, making sure to keep quiet.

“Do you know what it’s about?” I ask her, breathlessly. I’d only gotten back and the idea of having to be sent off wasn’t exciting but I would go. If that was the cost of keeping a hold of the peace we’d fought for I would gladly pay it a thousand times over. I didn’t want to ask the same of Farley though. 

To my surprise she shakes her head. “Not exactly, but I know it’s not something to overly concern ourselves with.” I chew on my lip. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Farley, but it sounded too good to be true. 

She lays a hand on my arm sensing my unease. “Relax, Mare.” I blow out breath, willing myself to do as she says. To calm down, to be at ease. Her voice shifts, softer. “I get it too, the tenseness. Sometimes I’ll wake up and watch the door for hours.” Her grip changes and digs deep into my flesh. It wasn’t painful but enough for her to convey what she was saying.

“Will it ever go away?”

“I hope so.”

There was that word again. Hope. It was the best we could do.

The walk to the library is silent. I knew Davidson preferred to be between the pages of a book and library was a safe haven of his. I loved it to, with it’s arching ceilings and a warmth that echoed throughout the room. 

Voices drew us closer. Shadows loomed on the walls, painting the figures of three people in the room. One was razor sharp and I recognized it immediately. Farley rolls her eyes but doesn’t falter in her determined stride.

Evangeline Samos lounges on a leather chair as she converses with Carmadon. Davidson hovers nearby and he sees us first. His lips pull in a strained smile and I see his gaze dart to Evangeline before coming back to me. I almost laugh at his exasperation. 

“Well I congratulate you, Miss Samos,” I hear Carmadon say. His smile is genuine. “Their marriage was properly annulled, the court saw to it.”

“Thank you for that,” Evangeline replies, the words stilted as if she was getting used to the phrase. “My brother and Elane seem much happier.”

“Indeed, arranged marriages are hardly ever fun, ah, there you are General, Ms. Barrow,” Carmadon greets us. His grin never wavers. Evangeline however snaps to us, scowling. “Good to see you too, Samos,” Farley smirks. 

Evangeline sniffs. “I’d like to make this quick if you please,” she says, completely ignoring Farley who only grows more amused. 

“Right, well,” Davidson begins settling into a chair. I do the same and so does Farley. “As you know, our Independence Day is a few days away.” We nod. “Norta has sent word, they will attend, as we hoped.” He and his husband share a look at the last bit. 

“Represented by whom?” Evangeline asks, intrigued. I hold my breath, hoping against all odds. For what I didn’t know. 

“Three Nortan ambassadors have been chosen,” Carmadon answers. Before we can even muster the courage to ask, he beats us to it. “Two Silvers and one Red if you must know.”

My breath whistles between my clenched teeth. “Doesn’t that seem a little unfair?”

“Julian has assured me they are trustworthy, in fact one of them defected from his house, relinquished his titles long ago and travelled. He returned to Norta a few years ago.”

Farley raises a brow. “How interesting?” A clear indication for him to continue. But he does not and we share a look. Evangeline isn’t so inclined to let him off the hook. “What house did he belong to?” she asks, tipping her head slightly. 

Her bare hands smooth over her navy blue jumpsuit. The sight of her in any other colour than black and silver was still jarring. Something glints in her eye and I understand. Evangeline left of her own volition though she was backed into doing so. She was curious about him as we all were.

Davidson clears his throat. “House Welle, I believe. He was one of Maven’s hostages along with his sister, Heron Welle months ago.” Out of the corner of his eye he glances at me, gauging my reaction. My fists clench in my lap at the mention of Maven’s name, at the reminder of my imprisonment. He haunted me still, his blue eyes and soft words trailed my every step, the boy he never was. Even in death, he was relentless in pursuing me, perhaps even more so.

And the boy he was, sad and broken beyond repair came to visit most nights. He was never angry I like I thought he’d be. Instead he sat, quiet at the edge of my bed. Sometimes his hands would trace my cheek and he’d smile so softly my heart would tug painfully. His face was always peaceful, unburdened. He moved with a lightness I’d never seen to him when he was alive. It only dragged me deeper into a damning spiral of what ifs.

What if he could’ve been saved somehow? What if Cal had been right? 

What if I’d only let him go?

“Mare?” Farley prods. Her elbow brushes me gently and I snap to attention.”What?”

Farley purses her lips. “I asked you if you knew anything about the Welle boy.”

My hands knot together, squeezing so hard my knuckles go white. “I don’t know much. Only that we were to never speak of him. We thought he’d died.”

“Well he’s very much alive,” Davidson sighs slowly. I watch as he reaches for a crystal bottle and pours himself a glass of what can only be alcohol. He moves quickly and steadily though there’s no need. A habit I suppose. “And the other is the daughter of merchant. The Red, another woman I believe. She has experience with travel as well I hear.”

“Not much,” Carmadon replies. “She was a servant to Lord Rhambos in Harbor Bay and where he went, the servants would go too.” I could only remember how when we’d fled Summerton after the Parting Ball the servants had followed. I could’ve been one of them.

“Is there word from Cal?” Farley asks. I can’t help but stiffen. Evangeline slides her gaze to mine, oddly tense as well. Her eyes were dark but not harsh almost...concerned. With Evangeline however, it wasn’t always so simple.

“Not yet,” Davidson says around the rim of his glass, his teeth clinking against it. I can feel the eyes of everyone on me and I keep still. Almost too still. Was I breathing?

“What of Piedmont? You couldn’t have called us in here for news on ambassadors to our only ally,” I say instead, my tone pleasantly neutral. Thinking of either Calore brother was never productive and only brought me a headache. 

“Still keeping quiet, but the Raiders have done their bidding before. They’re planning something, I can feel it,” Davidson replies, grim. I fidget in my seat with a sudden burst of nervous energy. It was good to remember that while we’d won in Norta, there were still Reds suffering. That this battle was far from over.

Carmadon reaches for his husband, their hands intertwining. “How about we discuss more of this in the morning?” he suggests gently. “Holly will be here to help.”

Davidson smiles though it’s weak, worried. “Blue will be ecstatic to see her mother.”

“It’s hard to imagine her being excited,” Farley remarks, smirking. “Even more so than she is on a regular basis.”  
I huff in agreement. “Well I’m going now, good night.” Farley glances at me with amusement. “As will I,” she announces. We rise from our seats, Evangeline is quick to follow. “Not so fast Barrow,” she sings, examining her natural claws. “We have business to speak about it.”

“Oh?” I raise a brow. “Business that I wasn’t aware of?” She grins sharply. “Yes, how terribly silly of you.” Before I can even ponder her meaning, she grabs me by the arm and leads me away. Farley starts but Evangeline is quick and I find myself near a large painting, wedged into a dimly light corner.

Evangeline hovers over me, arms crossed and foot tapping a steady beat on the parquet floors. I slump against the wall, already tired. “Just get on with it Evangeline.” I really wasn’t in the mood for our usual verbal sparring.

“I did not spend months trying to get you two back together for you to mope around about him not being here,” she snaps. Well at least she got straight to the point. “You’re both miserable and it’s honestly sad to watch, even for me.” 

“Well I’m sorry my love life causes you such pain,” I mumble sarcastically. She rolls her eyes. “It’s not so much of love than it is you getting pathetically happy at any bit of news of him but refusing very opportunity to see his face.” I round on her, suddenly angry. “You have no idea about how I feel, so don’t start pretending now.”

She laughs and peers down at me like that was the stupidest thing she’d ever heard. It only strokes my fury. “We understand each other better than you think, Mare.” I don’t respond.

“I know why you can’t face him,” she says oddly soft. “But it had to be done, there was no other way-”

“You don’t know that!” I explode. “No one does! What if he could’ve...maybe if we’d-” I clench my jaw to keep from saying more, doing more damage than I’d already caused. Evangeline studies me. “Forget it,” I snap, whirling on my heel. My face burned. Maven had hurt me and I’d hurt him but I hadn’t thought about the rift it would wedge between me and Cal. I wonder if that’s why he would smile when he came to see me. 

She catches up easily and I start to jog, then run. Still she keeps pace with me. “Dammit Barrow, could you just-” I don’t hear the rest of her sentence before I find an empty parlour and slam the door shut, breathing heavily. She finds me easily.

“Just see him, please,” she says with force. Her voice is distorted through the door dividing us. I still at the concern in her tone. She takes advantage of my silence, using it to press on. “Last time I was there, he didn’t look like himself, please Mare you need to talk some sense into him.” My stomach twists and I wring my hands together. Davidson had been to Norta a few times and had never mentioned such a thing but if it were true...

“Why do you care?” 

“It isn’t like you to ask stupid questions,” she scoffs. “But...he’s not so bad and well, I’m worried too.” The words are a soft admission. “I tried but-”

“But what?”

She’s quiet for a long time and my thoughts spiral. “He barely talks to anyone, it was a miracle he even wanted to see me. He..he asked about you. He always does.” I tip my head back against the door. The moonlight that pours into the room goes hazy as tears pool in my eyes. My heart ached more than it ever did at those words. God, I missed him so much. But the thought of his face, his careful distance between us after I killed his brother...I couldn’t stand it. How could I look into his eyes ever again knowing that I’d caused him such pain?

“Tell me you’ll at least think about it.”

I had no intention of doing so. But if only to appease her I promise anyway.

“I will.”

***  
I fiddle with the bloodred stone that dangles from my ear as I stare up at the ceiling. Gisa snores softly to my right and I can’t help but smile. At least some things in this world were consistent.

The earring is strangely cold and I think about when he gave it to me. We were flying to Corvium, ready to fight. My heart stutters as I remember how he’d alluded to marriage. It was a dream then. A future that seemed almost impossible. It was even less likely now. But still I wonder how it would feel to see him at the end of an aisle, grinning his stupidly endearing smile. 

Tears slip down my face and I inhale deeply, letting go of the image. I’d said I’d go back, but I was afraid. Did he hate me? Evangeline hadn’t made it seem so. 

Her words haunted me. She’d gone to Norta with Davidson two weeks ago for the last stretch of the campaign for Norta’s Premier, surely she would’ve seen him. Of course I’d wondered how he was dealing with his grief. But it must be worst than I thought. Evangeline had felt the need to tell me. That wasn’t any small thing. She took great care to avoid me so for her to seek me out, it had to be urgent.

I’d begun to heal, to find peace. Had Cal? He’d looked so lost. Almost as lost as I’d felt the last time we’d seen each other. His letters hadn’t indicated nothing amiss. He spoke about his mother’s diary, about how he’d taken a liking to magnolia trees and where he’d inherited his curiosity for machinery. That was the book I’d seen in his room in Harbor Bay, he told me as much. But none of that was the same as hearing his voice and the feel of his soothing warmth.

I shift, turning onto my side. Maven waits by the window, the moonlight making his pale skin glow. His head tips as he looks at me. With slow, deliberate steps he approaches me and I freeze. Maven perches on the edge of my bed and begins to hum softly, I recognize the tune, an old lullaby Mom used to sing to Gisa and I. About a girl who dwelled among the stars and chased ones that fell. 

His hand brushes my lips and I startle at his touch. It felt so real. But it couldn’t be. 

“Sleep,” he commands. Though he moves away he never leaves.

I suppose he never will.


	2. pt ii

The city bustles with activity, more so than usual as the final preparations are made. Streamers bearing Montfort’s colours fly in the wind, weaving through the streets. There’s an air of excitement that I’ve never felt before. We didn’t have much holidays in Norta, not ones we were willing to celebrate. Religious ones had faded with time, though I knew a few who did observe them.

Tyton strolls beside me, seeming more at ease than I’d ever seen him. Why shouldn’t he be? This was his home, something he was familiar with. I however refuse to drop my guard. The wind stirs my hair, tickling my cheeks. I tuck it back furiously wishing I’d brought a hair tie. Tyton glances at me, vaguely amused. “Careful or you might rip it out next time.”

I huff and swat at a few stray strands. To my shock he reaches out and tucks them neatly in the messy bun I’d piled on my head. His finger trails along my cheek and I find myself reveling in his touch. It’s unlike anything I’ve felt in so long. His deep eyes bore into mine, though they were a different shade from the one I longed for. The image of Cal’s face has me pulling away sharply. His hand falls to his side before he stuffs it in his pocket. A persisting blush crawls up his neck and I find my own face heating.

“We’re here,” I manage to say, squinting at the sign that dangled off the side of the shop. It was a cute little thing, with a white lattice trim to compliment the pale pink. A bell chimes when I push open the door announcing our entry. A tall, willowy brown-skinned girl grins at us from behind the wooden counter. I smile back. “Hey, Priya. Is Gisa around?”

“She should be in the back getting the last few bits ready,” she tells us. Priya hops down gracefully and waves us over. Tyton and I share a look before following. She pushes aside a white curtain to reveal Gisa hunched over a suit

The simplicity captures my attention first. It was velvet in a deep shade of red, near purple. Gold metal cuffs the wrists but doesn’t touch the skin. The front is open with a revealing half top, almost like a bra in the same shade.

I clear my throat and Gisa looks us, sheepish. “Oh come on, your idea of style is any scrap of clothing that’s clean.” I shrug. That was fair.

The fabric was smooth, surprisingly so. I pinch it between my fingers, admiring it’s texture. “Priya did the metalwork,” Gisa explains when I examine the the cuffs. Priya blushes. “You did most of the work anyways,” she protests, trying to brush off the compliment though she was clearly pleased. They begin to jabber back and forth and Tyton nudges me. “You’ll look beautiful, as always,” he murmurs softly. I dip my chin to hide my rising blush. He laughs gently.

His fingers tip my chin and once again I find myself in his gaze. “I love it when you get all embarrassed, it’s cute,” he grins. I swat his arm. “You wish.”

“Mare, you have to try it on!” Gisa exclaims, gathering the suit in her arms. She thrusts it towards me and we all look at Tyton expectantly. “Oh, yeah um…”

“Shoo shoo!” Priya insistently repeats, making brushing motions with her hands. Tyton scrambles to do as she says and I laugh to myself. He was still working on opening up, and the vibrant personalities that belonged to Gisa and Priya threw him off.

They pull on the suit with my eyes closed, per Gisa’s request. The rustle of fabric is all I hear before two dreamy sighs. Someone presses something into my hand, the top I assume and I pull it on myself. I begin to open my eyes but Gisa squeaks. “Close them!” I shut them tightly once more, wincing at her screech. “Can I open them, please? I won’t look, promise.”

She hums, considering. “Nope.”

“Turn around please,” Priya directs. I do as she says. “Ok good, now you can open your eyes but don’t look down.”

I blink furiously as my eyes adjust to the light. Keeping my gaze straight ahead I follow Gisa out. Tyton’s propped himself up in a floral patterned chair and he gazes out the window. When I enter his head whips towards me and I watch as his eyes widen. He visibly swallows and it takes everything I have to not fidget. “Is it that bad?”

Gisa wheels a large framed mirror out and spins it to me. “Okay, look!”

I sigh and face the mirror. Gisa had obviously worked hard on this and I’d warned her that I wasn’t the best choice for finery. I wouldn’t be accounted for if she was disappointed but I trusted her judgement.

The waist pinched but the rest flowed out slightly to the ankles and cut itself off neatly, exposing a sliver of skin. The jacket fits snugly against my form and the cuffs gleam in the morning sunlight. The revealing top displays my brand with pride and Gisa adjusts it while I watch the girl in front of me. She looks vaguely otherworldly and not at all like me. Priya twists my hair into a simple knot and pins it with deft motions, leaving a few strands to fall freely.

“So... what do you think?” Gisa asks, nervously chewing on her lip.

“It’s beautiful Gee, your work always is,” I say in a daze. I’d never worn something quite like it but leave it up to Gisa to shoot for something unique. I turn to her and smile. She’d always had an eye for these things and a brilliant mind. It used to be the subject of my envy. Now it only made me feel pride.

“Good,” Gisa grins in relief. As if I could ever tell her I disliked her work.

“How about you, Tyton?” Priya asks. He looks startled at being addressed. Perhaps he expected we forgot about him sitting there. ”Surely you will attending as well?”

“Of course,” he replies. “Though I don’t need--”

“Nonsense,” Gisa waves him off, catching Priya’s meaning. They share a look and I can tell from the glint in her eye they won’t be letting him off so easily. I chuckle into my hand. Poor Tyton was really in for something. He catches my laugh and wilts, looking appropriately regretful at coming with me.

The girls heave him out of his seat and whisk him off. I can’t help but cackle and he shoots me a glare. Oh well. If I had to suffer, so did he.

***

I press a few coins into Priya’s hand as discreetly as possible. She tries to refuse them but I halt her. “For what you’ve done. Getting Tyton to wear something suitable is no easy task,” I wink at her. She accepts them after a long moment with a bow of her head and an easy grin. “I find myself drawn to challenges.” Her gaze strays to Gisa as she speaks. I follow it to where my sister stands conversing with Tyton. He catches my eye and saunters over, oddly at ease.

I raise a brow at his change in attitude and he extends a hand in an absurdly dramatic manner. “Shall we?” I shake my head at his antics but put my hand in his anyway letting him pull me along through the door. We leave the shop like that and I don’t retract my grip and neither does he. This was harmless, I thought. We were both lonely, and it wasn’t like I’d invited him to bed. Somehow it still felt like betrayal, but oddly freeing. The thought makes me hold on tighter, all the way back.

***

The servants fly in and out, more of in a rush than I’d ever seen them. Carmadon catches my questioning stare. “Holly’s coming to visit and Dane and I wanted her to feel as welcome as possible,” he explains.

“Oh,” I say. Clearly, I’d forgotten about her arrival but he doesn’t take offence. “I guess I got so wrapped up this morning,” I apologize.

“It’s quite alright,” he smiles. The plate of chocolate-covered strawberries we’d been eating lie abandoned now but I trust Farley to take care of it. As if hearing my thoughts, she enters the parlour with Clara nestled in her arms. The little girl squirms in her mother’s grip, babbling. She was a year old now and though she couldn’t form a proper sentence that didn’t stop her. Another figure enters with them. Blue marches in proudly despite her arms being painted in a mess of colours and her braid askew.

Carmadon sighs. “Do I even want to know?” He receives no reply and gathers his daughter in his arms. “Dadda, look!” She displays her painted limbs. “I’m actually blue!”

“Lavender Blue, what did I tell you about making a mess?” he says sternly. She hums in consideration. “That it wasn’t good?”

He flicks her nose. “What do you think your mother would say about this? And your father?”

Blue winces. “Please don’t tell mom and dad. Pretty please?”

Carmadon pretends to think. “You have to promise to not do this again and I’ll consider it.”

Blue nods furiously. “Promise.”

“She was painting again,” Farley huffs. She has a smudge of white that streaks across her cheek. Clara pokes at it.

“I wanted to make a present for mommy,” Blue responds, crossly. “She said I was getting better last time.”

“And I meant it,” a female voice trills. A woman enters with Davidson, both of them at ease. He looks more relaxed than I’d ever seen him. The woman wears a grin with eyes only for Blue. She shrieks in delight and hops over to her, jumping into her outstretched arms. The woman embraces her and I can only assume that this was Holly, her mother.

“My dear Lavender, what have you been up to?” Holly laughs, examining her daughter’s arms. “Dane?”

Davidson shifts uncomfortably. “I didn’t have anything to do with this.”

Holly laughs again, the sound strangely musical. Her kind eyes land on me and she smiles, holding out her free hand. “You must be Mare Barrow. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dane only ever says good things.” I smile back, clasping my hand in her own. To my surprise, they are soft, not hardened by battle. “It’s wonderful to have met you as well. Your daughter is quite-”

“A handful?” Holly suggests. I flush. “Somewhat.”

Clara has found her way onto the floor and crawls over to Blue. Holly bends over and sets her down. “Who do we have here?”

Farley steps forward looking torn between greeting Holly and scolding Clara for interrupting. She settles on the former. “This is my daughter, Clara.”

“What a beautiful name!” Holly exclaims. “Perfect for a lovely little girl,” she grins down at Clara. Farley smiles warmly though it’s tinged with sadness and I understand why. We share a quick glance. “Thank you. She was named after my mother.”

Holly catches the look. “Oh, I see,” she draws out. Her voice was faint. Carmadon clears his throat. “It’s good to see you, Holls.” I raise brow at the nickname. He envelopes her in a hug, dwarfing her easily. She was slight woman with delicate features and black skin with a warm red undertone.

I knew that Holly and Carmadon were good friends and they’d conceived Blue for him and his husband to raise. That was pretty much all I knew. However, the relationship between them was unlike anything I’d seen. Davidson had told me she was a singer, the kind that was born of talent not blood and travelled often.

Though she was a newblood, a nymph. Not a particularly powerful one though. She came to visit as frequently as she could so I was told. I think back to when we’d had our first night here and Carmadon had alluded to children between Newbloods and Silvers. I wonder what Cal would think if he were here. My heart flutters at the thought. Would he see what I saw? A chance, a future?

Carmadon sweeps an arm at Farley. “This is General Farley, an esteemed member of the Scarlet Guard’s Command.” Farley straightens. “She is a vital member in the relationship between Montfort and her own people”

“I commend you for your work, General. Thanks to you, my daughter won’t suffer the fate of war,” Holly says, inclining her head. Her eyes flash with something dark before it’s wiped away.

Farley swallows heavily “We do what we can to protect them,” she responds softly. Her gaze strays to Clara wobbling around while Blue holds her arms. Both mothers watch as their daughters giggle, oblivious to the complications of the world. I’d been that way once. Carefree with my siblings, confident in the knowledge that my parents were the shield against any horrible thing.

Davidson frowns. “Where’s Eli? And Nadine for that matter?”

Carmadon blinks for a moment. “I have no idea.”

Holly eyes him. “Seriously?”

Farley sighs. “They went out, relax.” Davidson is clearly upset by this but when he opens his mouth in protest Farley cuts him off. “They’re old enough to handle themselves.”

“I don’t mind putting myself in danger, but my children are a different story,” Davidson grinds out. “It’s not safe for them to go out alone.”

“Perhaps it’s for the best,” Carmadon reasons. He lays a hand on his husband’s shoulder and looks at me pleadingly. I pretend to not notice. There was no way I was getting into that.

“How so?” Davidson bites. His leg bounces with nerves. Holly takes his hand in her own. Her touch seemingly having a calming effect. “You know Eli and Nadine. They’re good kids and you’ve raised them well.” Davidson slumps into a seat, absorbing her words.

“If it helps...Nadine’s improved immensely in combat,” Farley shrugs. “If she continues training with me, she’ll be unstoppable.” I huff in amusement at her barely disguised self-praise.

Even Davidson cracks a smile. “I’m sure she will.”

Footsteps pound through the hall and we all rise to our feet. Lightning pulses beneath my skin, ready to be called upon. Eli and Nadine burst through, both panting and out of breath. She holds a creamy envelope in her hand. I know that this must be one of Davidson’s correspondences. The sparks recede back into my skin as I watch her hand the letter to Davidson.

They looked strangely alike in demeanor if nothing else. You could almost say they were related though she was not his daughter in the adopted or biological sense.

Davidson scans the letter, his expression infuriatingly blank. I catch sight of the Nortan seal on the front and my heart gallops in my chest. I already fear the worst but it’s not the kind I expect.

He clears his throat before reading the words aloud.

“The honourable General Calore and his uncle, Julian Jacos have accepted Montfort’s request to have them at our Independence Day celebration.”

I’m out of the room before he can continue. I run and run until I swear I can hear Maven’s mocking laughter dodging my every step. It’s almost childlike and full of glee. I whirl around to find him grinning by a pillar. I almost gasp but he’s gone before I can.

No, no, no. He only ever came in the night, this wasn’t real. Did this mean he would pop up at any time? The real Maven would delight in that immensely. I collapse and shove my head between my knees, rocking back and forth.

Still his laughter doesn’t fade.


End file.
